Each course served at the
Renaissance Feast is presented for approval by the royalty. The new
monarch for the 2006 Alabama Renaissance will be-chosen during this
year's feast. A coin will be hidden in one of the desserts and served
to those willing to serve as king or queen for the year. JIM HANNON/File

FLORENCE -- The Renaissance was a time of rebirth. Everything was
changing, from art and literature to architecture and trends.

The Florence-Lauderdale Coliseum will also undergo a transformation
Saturday, Oct. 15, when the Roundtable of the Alabama Renaissance Faire
sponsors the 19th annual Renaissance Feast.

The feast takes place the weekend before the faire, which is scheduled
for Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 22-23 in Fountain on the Green, otherwise
known as Wilson Park.

Lords and ladies -- and even peasants -- will have a chance to taste a
true sampling of medieval food from a cook who knows his stuff.

Matterer is the founder of Gode Cookery. He travels throughout the
United States attending and cooking for events sponsored by the Society
for Creative Anachronism, an organization that celebrates 17th-century
history.

This is the fifth year that Matterer has planned and prepared the meal
for the Renaissance Feast in Florence. He even has a link to the
Alabama Renaissance Faire on his Web site, www.godecokery.com. Also on
his Web site, Matterer provides visitors with recipes from his new
cookbook, "A Boke of Gode Cokery, Vol. 1."

For those new to the world of medieval cooking, Matterer provides
instructions on how to cook medieval, recipes for the beginner, recipe
translations, as well as a bit of history behind the Renaissance.

Matterer also sells Goode Cookys. According to his Web site, small
cakes or wafers were the predecessors of our modern cookie. During the
Middle Ages and Renaissance, these cookies were created in a variety of
shapes, sizes and designs, produced by hand-carved molds that depicted
images of saints, elements of daily life and motifs of the time.

In this tradition, Goode Cookys are handmade from historical molds and
bring to life the elaborate and decorative cakes, wafers and
gingerbread of the Middle Ages. Matterer's Cookys have become popular
items at Renaissance events.

Transformation

Food will not be the only attraction for those attending the feast,
even though they will get more than their fill.

The coliseum will be transformed into a medieval setting thanks to the
help of Roundtable volunteers.

Don Green is just one of those many volunteers helping create a
Renaissance feel to the site.

"We'll have new walls this year," he said, "that will close in the
coliseum a bit and make the whole setting a little more intimate."

Green is building the framework for the setting. The frame, made of PVC
pipe, will hold a canvas that will be painted on each side to resemble
a medieval scene. The frame can be dismantled and stored until time for
the next feast.

The reigning monarch will also have new thrones to sit upon this year.

"Donna Mitchell and her husband, Dave, are recovering the thrones for
the king and queen," Warren said. "They live in Little Rock, but attend
the faire each year and have been members of the Roundtable."

Also in the spirit of the occasion, participants are invited to dress
in period-costumes.

"Costumes are admired, but not required," Green said.

Those attending are also invited to come early Saturday to decorate
their tables for the event. They may bring their own tableware.
Candelabras, however, must be battery-operated, as fire regulations
prohibit the use of open flames in the coliseum.

This year's reigning queen, Salana Letsinger, will select the
best-decorated table at the feast.

Murder mystery

Entertainment is ongoing during the time of the feast.

There will be traveling musicians, dancing, various readings, plus a
new twist this year.

"We're going to have a murder mystery this year," said Donna Miles, a
Roundtable member. "I won't tell you anything else about it, because
it's a big surprise."

Miles did divulge that it would be a story woven through the evening.
The script is being written by Scott Holden.

"He has written several murder-mystery dinners," said Miles. "And we
have more than 15 participants so far, and there will be some audience
participation as well."

The audience will also be invited to mingle among the crowd during the
evening and also to take part in the dance.

"People love to get involved," said Green. "I would have thought that
no one would have gotten up to participate, but they all get up now."

Young and old

Tickets to the feast are $20. Only 200 tickets, however, will be sold.

The Roundtable encourages all ages to attend the family event.

"We have all ages attend the feast, as well as the faire," said Green.
"We have small children to grandparents."

Tickets are available at the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts Annex
and Anderson's Bookland in downtown.

The following recipes are from the Modern Recipes for Beginners link at
www.godecookery.com.

Matterer said these recipes are not true medieval dishes, but they are
"medieval in style, ingredients and flavor, and for those cooks not
ready to attempt true medieval cooking, these recipes may be the way to
begin."

These recipes have not been tested by the TimesDaily.

A HOT MULLED CIDER

2
quarts apple cider

2
quarts red grape juice

2
cups orange juice

3
lemons, sliced

3
oranges, sliced

2
pieces candied ginger

1
stick cinnamon

4
whole cloves

2
cardamom pods

1
cup brandy

Mix the
cider, juices, lemons and oranges in a large saucepan or Dutch oven.

Place the ginger and spices in a cheesecloth bag; add to saucepan.

Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, 15 minutes.

Remove spice bag. Stir in brandy.

Serve warm in chafing dish or heat-proof punch bowl.

Serves 36 (½ cup each).

A SIMPLE PIE

2
pounds ground beef

½
onion, chopped

2
cups beef gravy

1
cup shredded cheddar cheese

1
9-inch pie shell, baked

Saute
ground beef and onion together until beef is completely cooked. Discard
fat and grease.

Mix the beef and onion thoroughly with the gravy and place in pie
shell. Top with cheese.